MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS SMASHES IN AT NO.1

Marvel’s The Avengers smashed in at No.1 at the South African box office this past long weekend with a phenomenal Hulk-sized opening weekend. Fans took advantage of the extended long weekend and as of the end of day Tuesday 1 May, the film had reached an astonishing R15 203 072 million gross box office. (Thursday 26 April to Tuesday 1 May inclusive).

Audiences flocked to be first to see the critically loved movie, making it the biggest 3-day weekend (Fri to Sun) in South Africa of all time – bringing in a gross box office R8.5 million in the 3 day period. The film also set a number of additional records, including the biggest Friday (27 April 2012) and the biggest Sunday (29 April 2012) in local box office history.

South African’s were not the only ones celebrating the assembling of some of Marvel Comics most iconic comic characters. The international box office totalled a massive $178.4 million on the weekend and saw The Avengers open at No.1 in all 39 countries released so far, with many countries also seeing their biggest opening weekends of all time, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Central America, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, New Zealand and The Philippines.

Marvel’s The Avengers is the eagerly anticipated first Avengers film, bringing together some of Marvel’s most loved superhero characters in the biggest superhero movie in history. Directed by Joss Whedon, the film stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, from a story by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon with screenplay by Joss Whedon, Marvel’s The Avengers is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.

Marvel’s The Avengers is currently in cinemas nationwide and is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures. The film is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher, Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham.